Materials and optical components for color filtering in a lighting apparatus

A lighting apparatus comprising:

• an LED source configured to emit visible light;
• and
• an optical component enclosing the LED source such that at least some of the visible light of the LED source passes therethrough;
• wherein, at least a portion of the optical component is formed of a composite material comprising a polymeric matrix material and a particulate material that contributes a color filtering effect to the visible light passing through the composite material, the particulate material having a particle size of up to 50 micrometers and comprising a neodymium compound containing Nd3+ ions, the neodymium compound being a Nd—X—F compound;
• and
• wherein, X is at least one element that forms a compound with neodymium.